Even the album's closer, the harsh sounding "The Hardest" with Styles P. — which plays the "cold gangster" card lyrically yet is so melodic and flowing musically — represents quite spectacularly how this album best facilitates two crucial aspects of the street rap subgenre; sublime beats AND well-written rhymes, and not just one or the other. Not only are AZ and Styles two of the East Coast's best MCs, but an album that combines both of these critical facets is quite rare in this day and age.
Even as good as the album is, nothing is ever perfect and Undeniable has a couple of slight missteps. If you're looking for variety, AZ rarely veers away from his "educated thug" persona. With the unarguably excellent production, this will more than likely begin to feel like one long soul sample after another.
Even though sure-fire club banger "A Game" is not as soulfully flavored as the rest of Undeniable, it is also the album's Achille's Heel. Without it, the record would have had one complete, cohesive sound. With "A Game," it feels one track short of accomplishing something rap has needed since the shiny suit era.
14 years after first debuting, AZ is still holding it down for the real, and don't confuse "real" with "gangster." His latest is grade A production wrapped in a sugar-free shell, minus the chocolate sauce. AZ is surely one of the undisputed greats of the rap game who will probably never get the recognition he deserves. But if Undeniable is any indication, AZ’s name will be on the tongues of real rap fans long after the 50 Cent’s and the Soulja Boy’s flash is gone from the proverbial pan.
Article comments